Motor-vehicle.



L. s. PFOUTS.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY13.1912.

Patented Oct. 26, 1915 Lwmos.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

wwwmow COLUMBIA PLANOGRAFH CO-. WASHINGTON. D. C.

L. s. P FOUTS. MOTOR VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY13. I912.

Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

mmms.

q/vmmeo L. S. PFOUTS.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I3. 1912.

Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CQAVASHINGTON, n. c.

LEROY S. ZPFOUTS, 0F CANTON, OHIO.

MOTOR-VEHICLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented @ot. 26, 1915..

Application filed May 13, 1912. Serial No. 696,962.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lnnor S. Prou'rs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Canton, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Motor-Vehicle, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in motor vehicles, and while applicable to various kinds of such vehicles, is more especially adapted to electric vehicles.

lhe objects of the invention are, to generally improve motor vehicles and to provide a simple, cheaply made, durable, efficient and accessible construction adapted to operate quietly and smoothly, to allow freedom of movement of the rear axle without strain upon the motor or its connections and to so .mount the motor that it will be held firmly in place at all times, all moving parts thus maintaining true alinement and the motor being so mounted that its torque will have no injurious or undesirable effect upon its mounting or the parts connected thereto.

Further objects are to provide an improved means for communicating the driving thrust from the rear Wheels and axle to the frame of the vehicle and to maintain the rear axle in proper transverse alinement while permitting freedom of movement in following the unevenness of the road at all times.

These objects, together with other objects readily apparent to those skilled in the art,

be attained by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, although the invention may be embodied in other forms, the construction illustrated being chosen by way of example.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a top view of a portion of a chassis embodying my in vention, said view including the rear axle, combined thrust and torque rod, and a portion of the main frame. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same partly in elevation and partly in vertical longitudinalsection on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partly in vertical longitudinal section on the line H of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a ver-' tical transverse sectional view taken on the l1ne.5 5 of Fig. 4:, the motor being omitted. Fig. 6 1s a view similarto'Fig. 4, showing a modified construction and the motor omitted. Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 77 of Fig. 6. 'lhroughout the several views similar ref erence numerals indicate similar parts.

More specifically describing the construction disclosed in said drawings, the numerals 1 and 1 indicate the two side pieces respectively of the main frame of the chassis upon which the body of the vehicle is intended to' rest. Said side pieces preferably do not extend horizontally in the same plane for their entire length, but have their rear ends upwardly arched or offset, where they extend over the rear axle housing 2, as shown in Fig. 2. The rear axle housing 2 is connected to the main frame by means of the rear springs 3, which are connected to said frame by means of the well known hanging links 4 to permit some longitudinal movement as between the main frame and said housing. The driving wheels 5 are mounted at the outer ends of the housing 2 upon a live axle, in any well known mechanical manner and the live axle is connected through the differential gear 6 to the worm wheel 7.

Forward of the housing 2 the main cross piece 8 of the main frame extends from the side piece 1 to the side piece 1", to which side pieces it is firmly connected. Intermediate the said side pieces, said cross piece is provided with a bearing 9 having its axis longitudinally, horizontally disposed, and

rotatably arranged in said bearing is a spindle 10 provided with the integral, transversely arranged T head 11 at its rear end, 1

and with means, such as the nut 12, caliperating with the shoulder 13, formed integrally with the spindle 10, for preventing longitudinal movement of said spindle within said bearing, while permitting its rotation.

The rear axle housing 2 comprises two transversely arranged tubular members 1 L provided with integrahoutwardly extending annular flanges 15 at their inner ends, said flanges 15 being connected by means of the machine screws 16 to the difierential gear case 17. Said gear case comprises a lower member and an upper member connected to each other by the bolts 18. Formed integrally with the lower member of said gear case is the combined thrust and torque rod 19, said rod extending forwardly and being fixedly connected to the rear end of the connecting yoke 20, the two arms of which are pivotally connected by means of the bolt 21 to the head'll. It will be understood' from the description, and an inspection of Fig. 1 that the rod l9'is connected to the cross piece 8 by a universal joint formed of the head 11 and the yoke 20 so that the rear end of the rod 19, following the vertical movements of the rear axle, as the wheels ride over uneven surfaces, may

bases of the'arms of the yoke 20, as clearly shown in F 1. Said bracerods are for the purpose of maintaining the rear axle housing in true right-angled position with reference to, the axis of the rod 19.

Preferably for-med integrally with the upper member of the .difierential gear case is the'worm case 23 arranged upon the top of the difierentialv gear case and inclosing the worm shaft 24 provided with the integral worm 25 meshing with the worm wheel 7. The shaft 24 is journaled in the radial ball bearings26 and 27 and the thrust ball bearings 28 and 29 which bearings maintain .the shaft in perfectly true alinement and position with respect to the worm wheelf'i. I The forward end of the shaft 24 projects frontwardly through the worm case and is connected by means of the coupling 30 with the armature shaft 31 of the electric motor Said electric motor is fixedly connectedto the thrust and torque rod 19, by means of motor supporting flanges 33 preferably-formed integrally with said thrust and torque rod and provided "with an upper motor receiving face of appropriate contour'to fit the case of the mo-. tor. Means such as the machine screws 34 are used to connect the motor to said flanges. As will be clearly seen from an inspection of Figs. 2 and 4 the motor when so mounted with the shaft 81 in proper true alinement with the shaft 2 1, is in position to drive said shaft 24 and the worm wheel 7 in the most direct, efficient and satisfactory manner. In: the making of the thrust and torque rod in connection with thelower portion of the difie'rential gear case the portions of said gear case and the motor seating face ofthe flanges 33 may be machined at the same time thus insuring proper alinement of the moving parts of both themotor and driving gear.

Suitable wire'connections 35, shown in the figures as broken away, should of course be provided as also a source of current, such as astorage battery and the controller, but

these portions being common and well known, and forming no specific portion of the present invention, it is not necessary herein to disclose or describe. It will also be understood that the forward end of the chassis should be provided with a front axle and front wheels adapted for steering, as well known in the art.

By mounting the motor upon the combined thrust and torque rod, rigidly connecting said rod to the axle housing 2, and connecting the forward end of said rod to the cross piece 8, as described, the tendency of the axle casing to rotate around the axle is readily overcome without straining any of the working parts, the motor is mounted in the most advantageous manner, and the driving thrust imparted by the housing 2 is transferred to the frame of the vehicle at the point best adapted to insure proper control of the vehicle at all times. The springs are also relieved of any thrust straining, and the motor construction is rendered exceedingly simple, strong, eiiicient and durable. The absence of a long jack shaft is especially called to notice and it will be seen from an inspection of the drawings that it is practically impossible for the working parts to be strained out of position with reference to each other, the construction disclosed being peculiarly adapted to work in a noiseless, smooth, and easy running manner Very desirable in motor vehicles of the character described.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I have shown views of amodified construction wherein a pressed axle housing, such as is now commonly in use is employed. In such case the combined thrust and torque rod l9 is connected to the pressed differential gear case l7 by means of bolts or screws 36 or other suitable devices, the rear end of said rod being provided with a socket of appropriate shape to conform to the external contour of the case 17". In such modified construction the worm case 23 is also preferably pressed and is connected to the case 17* by means of bolts 37. The general principles of constructions of the modified form are the same as those in the preferred form, the modifications in structure being those which are desirable in order to accommodate my invention to a form of pressed axle housing and differential gear case now commonly employed.

I claim 1. A motor vehicle comprising, in combination with a rear driving axle and housing therefor, a main frame and spring means connecting said frame to said housing; a single combined thrust and torque rod fixedly connected at one end to said housing intermediate the ends thereof extending in the vertical, longitudinal, median plane of the vehicle and having its other end nonlongitudinally movably connected to said main frame, a motor mounted upon said rod,

operative connection between said motor and said axle, and said rod adapted to overcome the reactive torque of said housing and constituting the sole means for the transmission of the driving thrust from said housing to said main frame.

2. A motor vehicle comprising, in combination, a main frame, a rear driving axle, two tubular housing portions arranged upon said axle, a differential gear case intermediate said tubular portions and connected thereto, said differential gear case comprising an upper portion and a lower portion, a single combined thrust, torque and motor carrying extension formed integrally with said lower portion, extending forwardly and pivotally and non-longitudinally movably connected at its forward end to said frame, a worm case formed integrally with said upper portion, a worm wheel and a difierential gear in said differential gear case, said worm wheel connected by said differential gear to said driving axle, a worm operatively mounted in said worm case and meshing with said worm wheel, an electric motor mounted upon said extension and directconnecting means between the armature shaft of said motor and said worm.

8. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a main frame, a rear axle, a diflerential gear connected thereto and provided with a worm wheel, a worm meshing with said worm wheel, a rear axle housing provided medially with a difierential and worm case portion having a single lateral extension provided with a motor seat, an electric motor mounted on said seat and having its armature shaft direct-connected to said worm and said lateral extension connected to said main frame and constituting a com stituting a single combined torsion and thrust rod adapted to impart the driving thrust received from said housing medially through said lateral extension to said main frame.

5. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a main frame, a rear driving axle, a differential gear connected to said axle substantially midway between its ends, said dif ferential gear provided with a worm wheel, a worm meshing with said worm wheel, a driving axle housing provided substantially midway between its ends with a differential and worm case portion inclosing saiddifferential gear, worm wheel and worm, said housing provided with a lateral extension extending from said case portion and provided with a motor seat, an electric motor mounted on said seat and having its armature shaft direct-connected to said worm, and means connecting said lateral extension to said main frame, said means and lateral extension constituting a single, median torsion rod and transmitting the driving thrust of said rear axle housing to said main frame.

6. In a motor vehicle, a main frame, springs, and a rear driving axle and housing therefor, said rear axle housing connected to said main frame at the two sides thereof by said springs and adapted for movement vertically and longitudinally of said vehicle, said housing provided intermediate its ends with an integral, lateral projection constituting a motor seat, an extension of said projection in the median, vertical, longitudinal plane of the vehicle connected to said main frame, a motor mounted upon said motor seat, means connecting said motor and said live axle, and said lateral projection and extension thereof constituting the driving-thrust-imparting means from said axle housing to the main frame.

In testimony that I claim the above, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

LEROY S. PFOUTS. Witnesses: v

SYLVIA Boson,

WILLIAM H. MILLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained. for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents, Washington, D. 0'. 

